Fighting the worst child obesity rate (November 20 2012) Fighting the worst child obesity rate (November 20 2012)

Miriam Tonietti the Argentinian secretary of the nutrition committee of the Argentine Society of Pediatrics, has been featured in an article by Marcela Valente for The International Press Service titled ‘Argentina – Fighting the Worst Child Obesity Rate in the Region’. Valente states “Pediatricians and nutritionists stress that there is no single factor explaining why Argentina is the country in Latin America with the highest rate of obese and overweight children.  …Dr. Miriam Tonietti … pointed to the serious risks associated with obesity in children. …“We are seeing that young children are also suffering from serious diseases related to obesity, such as hypertension, changes in the levels of blood lipids, and altered glucose metabolism, which precedes diabetes, we didn’t see these symptoms at such a young age in the past, the prognosis is complicated, and the life expectancy of these children is very poor.” The worst complications, she said, are type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But there are a number of other problems associated with excess weight in childhood, including traumatological and psychological issues, she added. “Obesity is a multifactorial phenomenon, conditioned by genetics” …however, that what stands out in Latin America is the “nutritional transition.” As part of that transition, she mentioned the process of rural-urban migration by people seeking better employment opportunities. “People are uprooted, they lose their culture and their diet, and foods rich in fats and sugar become prevalent”. The experts said that foods rich in nutrients are more expensive, which also increases the risk of obesity among the poor. And they also point out that obesity is not the opposite of malnutrition, but part of the same problem.”

 

Inspired by Marcela Valente ow.ly/fmRzu image source centrorespiratorio ow.ly/fmRxK